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JADAM Organic Farming
and Co which comprise 0.5%.
Organic matter is broken down by small animals and microorganisms; it is
disintegrated and turned to humus. Humus breaks down over time and releases
nutrients into the soil thus making it fertile. Coupled with microbial
activity,
humus turns soil into an aggregate structure with good air permeability and
water/fertilizer retaining properties. If humus content increases in the soil due
to a large input of organic materials then the soil holds on tight to the various
nutrients (K, Ca, Mg, Fe, Zn) so that even frequent
rain cannot wash them
away and the soil is resistant to erosion. Liquid fertilizers do not have the ad-
vantage of humus because they have already turned into pure nutrients. Humus
is spelt similar to human. It seems that the nutrients that form a human come
from this humus. When we die we all go back to humus. Farmers have great in-
terest in increasing the sugar content (Brix) of their fruits. Organic material
content in the soil has a deterministic effect on Brix. In an organic matter-rich
environment, active microbial activity produces a lot of sugar that is accumu-
lated in the soil; this helps produce top quality fruits.
JADAM sees microorganisms as “guests.” Guests
can leave whenever they
like. If they don’t like the soil, then they will leave. Treat your guests with good
food, i.e., organic matter. Provide ample organic matter into your soil, then the
microorganisms will become more active, happy and willing to extend their
stay. e quality of food that I eat decides my health;
likewise, the quality of or-
ganic matter put into the soil decides the health of the microorganisms and the
crops. Enrich your soil with organic materials; however, make sure they are
clean, pure and uncontaminated. Organic matter should have little or no an-
tibiotics, chemical fertilizers, chemical pesticides because only then will it boost
microorganism activity, which will, in turn, improve crop health and produce
better quality fruits. If you are keen to get an overwhelmingly positive response
from customers, make doubly sure that you use “pure” organic matter. You need
a lot of unadulterated organic matter but the problem is that you also want to
ULC영어본문.qxp_레이아웃 1 2016. 2. 19. 오후 6:40 페이지 104
Soil Management
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105
lower the cost. How is that done? Certiied organic fertilizers cost about 20 dol-
lars per sack – that’s quite expensive! is is a problem. Now, as we have done
repeatedly, let us ask nature what to do. Where did the leaf mold get its abun-
dant supply of organic matter?
Nature’s soil supplies 100% of its organic materials by itself.
All these wild
grass and leaves die and accumulate on soil in autumn; as they decompose, the
soil turns rich. JADAM follows this pattern. JADAM suggests you sow seeds
(those that do not die in winter) in autumn, let them grow and cut them down
in spring. e fallen grass will become excellent base fertilizer. How is it that
nowadays the prevalent method of organic farming does not do as nature does
but instead, buys inputs from the market and provides it to the soil? ese
methods are touted as some key knowhow of organic farming.
Farmers have to
buy rice bran, perilla press cake, oil cake, sawdust, livestock manure and other
ingredients from the market, add some more material, adjust the moisture level,
add microbes and turn them often. Let us be honest and direct.
Such method is
making organic farming more and more difficult. Some say the compost has to
reach 75
℃
(167
℉
) in order to kill off the harmful microbes. ey also say that
beneicial microbes survive the temperature. Such claim is not backed by sci-
ence. All organic matter has, for billions of years, decomposed at ambient tem-
perature. Is the nature,
as a result, full of only harmful bacteria? Temperature
claim is just another trap set up to scam farmers.
In our traditional farming system, there was no composting in the form
practiced widely in the organic circles today. Forget the complicated and diffi-
cult compost-making and
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